Automatic brake applying mechanism



Dec. 4, 1951 G. CONNORS 2,577,071

AUTOMATIC BRAKE APPLYING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 24, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 1 P i u k 1 (1 1- I l I 0 ll I I y I i p k u HHHII Hg"):

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Patented Dec. 4, 1951 a'George Gonnors, Ed'gerton', .Wis assignor tor Highway Trailer Company, Edgerton, Wisi, a;

corporation Application"January24, 1945, SerialNo. 5742300 .1 This invention comprises certain novel auto- Inatic brake applying mechanism designed par ticularly for use in'connection withearthboring machines, but-susceptibleof use in reference" to othertype'sof machines Wheresimilar conditions might be incurred.

Earth boring machines of the type'Withwliich my invention is used customarily employ-a steel 'bar of "slightlyoblong-cross sedtionand'of any predetermined length, which" bar is-equipped a't its lower-end with anauger 'for boring holes into the ground. The bar, with the auger attached, is moved up or down and-rotatedby power furnished-from asuitable prime mover, generallythe motor of a truck or tractor, 'the power delivered by any suitable- -power take off" unit.

' The'digging or auger baris raisedand lowered by being driven througha train-of gears known as thefeed gear-s, while the rotation of th'e auger and said bar is effected by a'trainot gears known as drive gears. The mechanism in connecti'on withv which my invention is employed-comprises aiclutch. and brake provided for each df the above mentioned .trainsiof gearsaand custom'arily known as thefeedclutchiand brake, and the drive'clutchand :brake, respectively.

The brake applying means of myinvention are adapted to cooperate with the said. fe'ed clutch and brake and the-drive 'clutchzand brake operating devices for: automatically effecting :an application :of. thexbrakes-ofsisaid.device's.. Prior to the employment iofrmyzinvention, it has-been necessary for thetruck operator, ,ortpersonvhaniclling .the operation ,of the hole? digger auger, to place the power take off in neutral to .prevent rotation of-the auger because the Weight ot the control levers and associatedpartswould otherwise engage the clutches sufficiently to impart to the augerrotation when the auger is: requiredwto be idle. Also, heretofore and previous to the employment of my invention itha-s been necessary for the said operator toengagewith thetrack of the. digging bar certain lock means provided heretofore in this. type of boring machines; whereby to prevent the auger from coasting to the -ground'by its own weight when outiof work'- ing operation. The, instrumentalities last referred to are dispensed within the practice of my invention by reasonof the automatic brake applyingprovisions thereof, as will be more fully pointed out in the following description and in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is averticalsectional view'ofth'e brake and clutch control mechanism ofa boring machine with whichImy'improvements are'utilized;

5 Claims; (Cl.-19212)- Figure 2 is a "viewin elevation showing primarily the feed clutch and brakeyandthegdrive clutch and brake operating deviceadotted lines illustrating the-housing for the clutch and brake units and asso-eiated parts,- andthe casing means enclosing the feed and d'rive shafts so far as such meansisnecessaryto be illustrated.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on-the line 3--3 of Figure '1, bringing out more clearly the arrangement or the throw collars cooperating with the feed clutch and brake and-the drive clutch and brake units, the construction being the same inbothcases.

Figure 4' is a side View -'0fthe control lever arrangement for the clutch and brake units, the supporting means being illustrated somewhat diagrammatically.

Figure '5 is a viewiof the features shown in Figure 4, looking towarfd the construction illus trated in Figure 4'from' the left;

In a general Way, the clutch and brake units and associated partsas shown inmy-drawings are disolosed'inthepaterit of Menhall, 1,865;1 29; issued June 28, 1932, to which reference is made'i Describing my invention specifically, and referring particularly to Figures 1 and "3, there is illustrated a housing A- which enclosesthe feed and drive clutch and brake units, thesaid hous ing having a removable cap plate B by which access may be had totheinterior thereof and parts enclosed thereby. Within the housing hear the ends thereof are stationary circular flanges-C suitably rigidly' positioned onthe'housing A for a purpose hereafter to be mentioned. Also mounted in the housing A- is ashaft hereafter termed the drive shaft, for rotation of the digging bar of a boring machine, said shaft I being enclosed in-the tubular shaft '2, hereafter termed the feed shaft'because it drives certain transmission gearingfor effecting the feed'movementoiz the'diggin'g'bar. The drive shaft llike- Wise is connected by transmissiongearing, not shown, for causing the rotative-movem'ent cifthe digging or anger bar. On theshaftLin the left portion ofthe housing A, iskeyed' a clutch and brake hub 3 'on the h'ollow shaft '2 islikewise keyed the clutch and brake'hub 4.

- The. shafts and-2 win-or course be mounted in suitable bearings acoording to' known practice; and not: specifically described because not apart of the present invention per se. Around the hub 3' are clutch discs 5 which-are inteilocli'edto the hub 3 at inner portions't'h'ereof; and interlocked atouter portions to th'e'drive and clutch shell" 62 Also the hub-3 has inter-locked there-with atth'e inner open portions thereof a series-ofbrake 3 discs I, and cooperating brake discs 1 are interlocked at their outer peripheries to the adjacent left hand flange member 0. Between the two series of discs 5 and I operates the throw collar 8 for the drive clutch and brake unit which is disposed as seen in Figure 1 at the left of the drive and clutch shell 6. At the right end of the shell 6 and associated with the feed shaft hub 4 is a similar arrangement of clutch and brake discs to that just described, clutch discs 9 directly cooperative between the hub 4 and shell 6 and brake discs I directly cooperative between the hub 4 and the right hand brake flange member C. The members 9 and I0 provide a clutch and brake unit similar to the one provided by the parts and I respectively. The clutch and brake shell 6 is provided with an external surrounding gear II driven from a suitable pinion I2 and driving gear I3, the latter being directly operated from a power take off connected with the motor of the truck upon which the mechanism of my invention is mounted.

For the feed clutch and brake unit, including the parts 9 and I0, I also provide the clutch throw collar I4 similar to the collar 8 and the collar 8 is rockable about the rocker shaft I5, while the collar I4 is rockable about the rocker shaft Hi.

In the case of both the feed clutch and brake, and the driving clutch and brake, the shafts I5 and I6 carry spaced arms I'I keyed thereto, and these arms have throw pins I8 that shift the collars 8 and I4 after known practice, these features being shown clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings.

At one outer end of the shaft I5 is an operating arm I9 fixed thereto, and at one outer end of the shaft I6 is a similar operating arm 26. The arm I9 is connected by an actuating rod 2I to a bell crank lever 22, see Figure 2, which bell crank lever is connected by a link 23 to a main hand lever 24 pivoted at 25 to a side of the housing for the shafts I and 2. In a similar manner the arm 20 is connected by an actuating rod 26 to a bell crank lever 21, and the latter is attached by a link 28 to a second hand lever 29 pivoted on the same axis 25 as is the lever 24. The lever 24 is adapted to operate the parts last mentioned as connected with it in order to rock the arm I9 and operate the drive clutch and brake unit controlled by the throw collar 8, whilst the lever 29 is connected by the parts mentioned to the arm 20 for operating the feed clutch and brake unit. The feed clutch and brake unit of course cooperates with the feed shaft 2, and the drive clutch and brake unit cooperates with the drive shaft I.

Attached to the rod 2I is a connector plate 30, and a similar connector plate 3I is attached to the rod 26. Each of the rods is adjustable as to length, as shown. Connecting the two connector plates 30 and 3| is the automatic operating spring 32, the action of which is to cause automatic relative movement of the members 2I and 26 so as to effect operation of the arms I9 and 20 for application of the brake parts of the drive clutch and brake unit, and the feed clutch and brake unit.

The operation of my invention may be generally set forth as follows:

The control levers 24 and 29 are located near the end of the truck body for what is known as ground control, or where the operator stands on the ground. Pressure downward on the control levers 29 and 24 will engage the clutches, while pressure upward on the levers will apply the brakes. Downward pressure on the feed or left hand lever 29 while upward pressure is applied to the drive or right hand lever 24 will engage the feed clutch and apply the drive brake and cause the auger and digger bar to rise. Upward pressure on the feed or left hand lever while downward pressure is applied to the drive or right hand lever will cause the auger to descend rapidly to the ground preparatory to digging. Downward pressure on both levers will engage both clutches and cause the auger to rotate and feed into the ground.

When the hole being bored by the auger is completed, the auger is raised to its extreme upward position and the operator then completely releases his hold on the control levers 29 and 24. This brings into action the automatic spring 32, which pulling through the connector plates 30 and 3I acting on the rods 2| and 26 applies both the feed and drive brakes at the same time, immediately the manual control of the two control levers 29 and 24 is released. With the feed and drive brakes applied, the machine carrying my mechanism above described may be moved to the location of the next hole without danger of the auger rotating or coasting toward the ground.

It is unnecessary, in the use of my automatic functioning spring 32 control, to engage any rack lock with the rack of the digging bar, so such rack lock can be dispensed with. Nor is it necessary for the operator of the truck to throw the power take off driving transmission gearing into neutral for preventing rotation of the auger. Having in mind that as many as a hundred hole boring operations a day may be effected in the use of my boring machine mechanism, it will be apparent that the employment of my automatic brake applying device affords advantageous operation, and, furthermore, eliminates the need for the special lock devices cooperating with the digging bar.

The human equation requirement in reference to the proper operation of the hand levers 24 and 29 to ensure locking of the digging bar or neutralizing of the power take off drive means at proper times is eliminated in the practice of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In mechanism of the class described in combination, a drive shaft, a feed shaft, a clutch and brake unit for each of said shafts, driving means for said shafts, connections between said shafts and' driving means including movable clutch elements, a fixed and movable brake element for each brake and clutch unit, a separate manual device for each clutch and brake unit for controlling the operation thereof, and means common to the manual devices of both units for simultaneously throwing the manual devices into positions causing engagement of the fixed and movable brake elements of both units and disengagement of the movable clutch elements, immediately upon release of manual pressure on the common means.

2. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, a drive shaft, a feed shaft, a clutch and brake unit for each of said shafts, driving means for said shafts, connections between said shafts and driving means including movable clutch elements, a fixed and movable brake element for each brake and clutch unit, a separate manual device for each clutch and brake unit forcontrolling theoperation thereof, and auto:-

matic means common to the manual devices of both units for simultaneously throwing the said manual devices into position causing engagement of the fixed and movable brake elements of both units and disengagement of the movable clutch elements, immediately upon release of manual pressure on the common means.

3. In mechanism ofthe class described, in combination, a drive shaft, a feed shaft, a clutch and brake unit for each of said shafts, driving means for said shafts, connections between said shafts and driving means including movable clutch elements, a fixed and movable brake element for each brake and clutch unit, a separate manual device for operating each clutch and brake unit to engage the fixed and movable brake elements and disengage the movable clutch elements and vice versa, and automatic means for simultaneously throwing both of the said I manual devices into brake applying positions upon release of manual pressure thereon, said last means including an actuating bar between each manual operating device and each of the feed and drive clutch and brake units, and a spring operatively connected with both of said actuating bars for effecting brake applying and clutch disengaging conditioning of both of said units on release of manual pressure on the manual operating devices.

4. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, a drive shaft, a feed shaft, a clutch and brake unit for each of said shafts, driving means for said shafts, connections between said shafts and driving means including movable clutch elements, a fixed and movable brake element for each brake and clutch unit, a separate manual device for operating each clutch and brake unit to engage the fixed and movable brake elements and disengage the movable clutch elements and vice versa, and automatic means for simultaneously throwing both of the said manual devices into brake applying positions upon release of manual pressure thereon, said last means including an actuating bar between each manual operating device and each of the feed and drive clutch and brake units, and a spring operatively connected with both of said actuating bars for effecting brake applying and clutch disengaging conditioning of both of said units on release of manual pressure on the manual operating de- 1 release of the vices, said actuating bars being disposed side by side and each equipped with a connector plate arranged so that the two connector plates are spaced from each other, and the spring is attached at opposite ends to the connector plates and contractible for effecting relative longitudinal movement of the actuating bars for effecting brake applying action of the fixed and movable brake elements, on release of actuating pressure upon the said manual devices.

5. In mechanism of the class described, in combination, a drive shaft, a feed shaft, a clutch and brake unit for each of said shafts, connections between said shafts and driving means including movable clutch elements, a fixed and movable brake element for each brake and clutch unit, a separate manual device for operating each clutch and brake unit for alternately driving or braking its respective shaft, respectively, and automatic means, common to said units for simultaneously throwing both of the said manual devices into brake applying positions with the fixed and movable brake elements of both units in engagement upon release of manual pressure on said manual devices, said last means including an actuating bar between each manual operating device and each of the feed and drive clutch and brake units, said actuating bars being arranged side by side for portions of their length and a spring connecting the two operating bars together and automatically effecting the said automatic applying action of the brake members of both clutch and brake units incident to the manual pressure previously referred to.

GEORGE CONNORS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 423,431 Kisinger Mar. 18, 1890 967,331 Covell Aug. 16, 1910 1,461,800 Lewis July 17, 1923 1,865,129 Menhall June 28, 1932 1,912,645 Le Tourneau June 6, 1933 2,286,547 Hutchins June 16, 1942 2,366,433 Bridwell et a1. Jan. 2, 1945 

